Equipment
* optional
Ingredients
Lamb & Aromatics
- 4 lamb shanks, room temperature
- salt
- black pepper
- 30 ml olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 carrot, diced
- 2 celery stalk, diced
- 4 garlic cloves, smashed
Braising Liquid
- 250 ml dry white wine
- 500 ml chicken stock
- 4 fresh thyme, whole sprigs
- 1 fresh rosemary, whole sprig
- 2 bay leaf
Finishing
- 120 g mascarpone cheese
- 60 g dijon mustard, smooth
- 30 g whole grain mustard
- 10 g parsley, chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 522 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbohydrates
- 46 g
- Fat
- 27 g
- Fiber
- 11 g
- Sugar
- 6 g
- Sodium
- 2086 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 9 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 6 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 3 mg
- Potassium
- 709 mg
- Calcium
- 441 mg
- Iron
- 14.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 99 mg
- Phosphorus
- 178 mg
- Zinc
- 3.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 429 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 71 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.0 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 57 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.0 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.29 mg
- Niacin
- 1.4 mg
- Folate
- 36 mcg
- Water
- 201 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
- Caffeine
- 0 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your oven to 160°C/320°F. Pat the lamb shanks dry thoroughly with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks until deeply browned on all sides, about 8-10 minutes. Remove the shanks and set aside on a plate.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onion, carrot, and celery to the pot. Sauté for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften and begin to brown slightly.
Add the smashed garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow the wine to reduce by half.
Return the lamb shanks and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Bring the liquid to a simmer.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and transfer to the preheated oven. Braise for 2.5 to 3 hours, turning the shanks once halfway through, until the meat is very tender and pulling away from the bone.
Remove the pot from the oven. Carefully transfer the lamb shanks to a warm platter and tent with foil. Discard the herb stems and bay leaves.
Place the pot with the braising liquid back on the stove over medium-high heat. Simmer vigorously to reduce the liquid by about one-third to concentrate the flavor. (Optional: Strain the solids out first for a smoother sauce).
Turn the heat down to low. Whisk in the Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard (if using), and mascarpone cheese until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Do not let it boil once the cheese is added.
Return the lamb shanks to the pot to warm through in the sauce for 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Mascarpone is technically a thickened cream rather than a cheese culture, which gives this sauce a sweetness that perfectly balances the acidity of the wine and mustard.
- For a truly restaurant-quality presentation, strain the braising liquid through a fine-mesh sieve before adding the mustard and cheese. Press on the vegetables to extract all their flavor.
- This dish tastes even better the next day as the flavors meld. Reheat gently to avoid breaking the emulsion.
- Serve over polenta, mashed potatoes, or buttered egg noodles to catch the ample sauce.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Sauce may separate slightly; reheat gently to emulsify.
Freezer: 2 months — Dairy-based sauces can change texture when frozen. Thaw slowly in fridge.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat. Do not boil vigorously or the mascarpone may split.
Troubleshooting
Sauce looks curdled or oily
Cause: The sauce boiled after adding the mascarpone, or the heat was too high
Fix: Whisk in a splash of cold cream or warm water vigorously off the heat to re-emulsify
Prevention: Keep heat on low when adding dairy; never boil mascarpone
Meat is tough
Cause: Undercooked; collagen hasn't broken down yet
Fix: Return to the oven for another 30-45 minutes with a splash more liquid if needed
Prevention: Ensure full cooking time; verify tenderness with a fork before stopping
Cultural Context
While braised lamb is a staple across European cuisines, this specific combination borrows from the French tradition of 'Lapin à la moutarde' (rabbit with mustard), adapting it to the richer, gamier profile of lamb. The addition of mascarpone adds an Italian influence, modernizing the texture to be lighter than a traditional flour-thickened gravy.
